Chair



1955 w. w. VINCENT, JR 2,702,074

CHAIR Filed Nov. 5, 1952 s sheets-sheet 1 (mag/.1

Feb. 15, 1955 w. w. VINCENT, JR 2,702,074

CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 5, 1952 mbwaz ymizcezzf 4/."

" mag Feb. 15, 1955 Filed Nov. 5, 1952 W. W. VINCENT, JR

CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent CHAIR William W. Vincent, In, Kenosha, Wis, assignor to The Vincent-McCall Company, Kenosha, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application November 5, 1952, Serial No. 318,785

4 Claims. 01. 155-43 This invention relates to chairs and has more particular reference to a chair which is tiltable between two positions and is adapted for occupancy by a user in each of those positions.

An object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved chair whose supporting means for the body of an occupant including a seat and back, hereinafter referred to as body supporting means, has a shape and position defining a relatively upright sitting posture of a person, that position hereinafter being referred to as the sitting position, and is tiltable rearwardly from that position to a reclining position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved chair whose body supporting means has a stable sitting position not only when unoccupied but also when occupied, and a stable reclining position when occupied, and while occupied is swingable or rockable from each to the other of those stable positions.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a chair wherein accidental swinging of the body supporting means from either to the other of those stable positions is minimized, and wherein the body supporting means is readily swingable from either to theother of those positions by a force deliberately exerted by the occupant.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a chair wherein the speed at which the body supporting means is swung from each to the other of those stable positions is controllable by the occupant.

A further object of the invention is the provision in such a chair of a novel supporting frame or truck for the body supporting means.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved contour chair, i. e., a, chair wherein the body supporting means is of a length substantially equal to the average length of normal adult persons and has a longitudinal shape conforming to, defining, or like the contour of such a person in a relaxed sitting position.

It has hitherto been proposed to provide a tiltable chair, called a Reclining Chair in United States Letters Patent No. 2,027,125, by pivotally attaching the seat near the transverse center thereof to the upper .ends of front and rear leg means. According to that patent, the lower ends of the front and rear leg means are so connected by an intervening member that the upper ends are swingable or rockable'about the lower ends of those leg means, respectively. In that prior art chair the upper ends of the leg means are so swingable or rockable by reason of the provision of a resilient yieldable portion of the intervening member connecting or joining thereto the lower ends of the front and rear leg means. Such a chair when occupied lacks stability in any position except that at which the occupants weight is so distributed as to be precisely in balance about-the movable joints provided by the pivotal attachments between the 'seat and the swingable upper ends of the leg means.

the posture of the occupant, and the speed of tilting being uncontrollable by the occupant, frequently occurs at an alarming rate.

In the novel chair according to the present invention, the back, preferably near its lower end, is pivotally atattached to the upper end of rear leg means and the seat, preferably near its rear end, is pivotally attached to the upper end of front leg means. Extending between the front and rear leg means is connecting means which is so connected or joined therewith below the seat, pref- That P chair, moreover, is tilta'ble by an inadvertent change in 2,702,074 Patented Feb. 15, 1955 erably at or near the lower ends of the front and rear leg means, as to permit swinging or rocking movement of the upper ends thereof while substantially fixing their lower ends against movement toward or away from each other. Those legs and connecting means constitute a supporting frame or truck on which the seat and back are tiltably mounted for rocking movement about movable joints provided by the pivotal attachments between the swingable upper ends of the front and rear leg means and the seat and back, respectively. Relatively rigid stop means is provided on that supporting frame for engagement by the seat to limit the forward swinging movement of the seat and back at the sitting position thereof and for engagement by the back to limit the rearward swinging movement of the seat and back at the reclining position thereof.

Otherobjects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawing which constitute a disclosure of a preferred embodiment of the invention and which are illustrative thereof.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a contour chair embodying the features of the invention and shown in the sitting position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of that contour chair shown in full lines in the sitting position and occupied, and shown in broken lines in the reclining position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in cross section taken substantially along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 and shows the seat of the novel chair engaging the stop means while the body supporting means is in the sitting position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in cross section taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and shows the back of the novel chair engaging the stop means while the body supporting means is in the recliningposition; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the novel chair drawn on a larger scale that that of Fig. 2 and shows certain details of construction and assembly.

As the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the accompanying drawing shows in Fig. 1 a contour chair with body supporting means designated by the general reference character A. The body supporting means A comprises a seat B, a leg-rest C extending forwardly at a downward inclination from the front end of the seat, a back D extending upwardly from the rear end of the seat at substantially right angles thereto, and a head-rest E extending upwardly at a forward inclination from the upper end of the back D. In length, the seat, leg-rest, back and head-rest are substantially equal to the average lengths of the body portions of adult persons between the base of the spine and the knees (upper legs), below the knees (lower legs), between the base of the spinal column and the base of the neck (back), and above the base of the neck (head), respectively. The angular relationships of the seat, legrest, back and head-rest are such as to define a relaxed sitting posture of such a person. Stated somewhat differently, the body supporting means A has a length substantially equal to the average length of normal adult persons and a shape like, defining, or conforming to the contour of such a person in a relaxed sitting posture, and is adapted to support such a person throughout his length in such a posture with his knees comfortably bent or flexed.

It will be understood that such a body supporting means may be of any suitable construction. As illustrated, it preferably includes, as shown best in Fig. 1, a frame 11 of metal tubing formed as a substantially rectangular loop, and a substantially rectangular sheet 12 of canvas, plastic, or other suitable fabric. The frame 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is bent or otherwise formed transversely of its rectangular configuration as at 13, 14, and 15 to provide integral side frame portions 16, 17, 18, and 19 at each longitudinal side of the legrest, seat, back, and head-rest, respectively. When the frame is so formed, an end frame portion 21, shown in Fig. 1, is integral at its opposite ends with and extends between the upper ends of the head-rest frame portions 19, and a similar end frame portion 22 is integral at its opposite ends with and extends between the lower and rectangular frame 11. The longitudinal margins of the sheet are wrapped about the side frame portions .16,

17, 18, and 19 at opposite sides of the frame and, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, are secured in place, for example, by means ofstitches 23. Each of the opposite end'margins of the'sheet 12 is provided, as shown in Fig. l, with a transverse row of metal eyelets 24 providing spaced apertures through the sheet. At one end a rope 25 is laced through those apertures and about the end frame portion 21 and at'the other end a rope 26 is laced through those apertures and about the end frame portion 22 to secure the opposite ends of thesheet to frame 11.

"For tiltably supporting the body supporting means A, front and rear leg means F and G are, as shown in Fig. 2, pivotally attached at their upper ends to the seat and back, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the front leg means comprises, as shown in Fig. 1, two front legs 27 of equal length. They are pivotally attached at their upper ends by boltand-nut assemblies or other suitable pivot. means 28 in transverse alignment to the seat frame portions 17 at opposite sides of the seat B near the rear end thereof. The rear leg means, Fig. 1, comprises two rear legs 29 of equal length. They are pivotally attached at their upper ends by bolt-and-nut assemblies or other suitable pivot means 31 in transverse alignment to the back frame portions 18 at opposite sides of the back D near the lower end thereof.

From their upper ends, the front and rear legs 27 and 29 at each of the longitudinal sides of the body supporting means A extend downwardly in diverging relationship. The rear legs 29 are at right angles to the back D; the front legs '27 are at such an inclination as to make a relatively acute angle with the seat B forwardly of the pivot means 28; and all of the legs 27 and 29 are of such length that their lower ends are in a common plane. When the legs are so constructed and arranged as set forth above, the body supporting means is in the sitting position with the seat B inclined slightly upwardly from its rear end, the back D inclined slightly rearwardly from its lower end, and the forward end of 'the leg-rest C and the rear end of the seat Bat about'the same level above the'lower ends of the legs 27 and 29; the lower ends of the rear legs 29 are substantially vertically below the upper end of the back D; and the lower ends of the front legs 27 are below the front end portion of the seat B.

The lower ends of the front and rear leg means F and G are substantially fixed in the positions just described in such a manner as' to render their upper ends swingable about axes at or near the lower ends thereof, respectively. That is accomplished with connecting means H (Fig. 2) pivotally or otherwise yieldably connected or joined at its opposite ends to the front and rear leg means, at or near the lower ends thereof and extending between those leg means. Preferably as illustrated in Fig. 2, such connecting means is constructed as an integral portion of the front and rear legs 27 and 29 at each sides of the body supporting means A to provide with those legs a side supporting member 32. The two side supporting members 32 are identical and, preferably, are formed of resilient metal tubing.

Each such side supporting member 32 is formed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to include one of the front legs 27 and one of the rear legs 29, a yieldable, curved portion 33 integral at one end with the lower end of that rear leg 29, a rear stop carrying portion 34 integral at one end with the other end of the curved portion 33 and extending upwardly therefrom in substantial parallelism with the rear leg 29 to above the level of the seat B forwardly of the back D, an arm-rest portion 35, integral at one end with the upper end of the rear stop carrying portion 34 and extending forwardly therefrom above the level of the seat B to substantially vertically above the lower end of the front leg 27, a front stop carrying portion 36 integral at one end with the forward end of the arm-rest portion and depending therefrom at substantially right angles to the seat B to forwardly of the lower end of the front leg 27,

and a yieldable, curved portion 37 integral at its opposite ends with the lower ends of the front leg 27 and the front stop carrying portion 36, respectively. The upper ends of the front and rear leg means F and G are thus forwardly and rearwardly swingable about transverse axes J and K, respectively, at or near the lower ends thereof (see Fig. 2)-.

Those two side supporting members 32 are, as shown in Fig. 1, fixed in upright parallel relationship at opposite sides of the body supporting means A by the pivot means 28 and 31 and cross braces 38, 39, and 41, to provide a supporting frame or truck, designated by the general reference character L, for the body supporting means. .The cross brace 38 (Figs. 1 and 3) is substantially U-shaped. Its parallel arms are secured in engagement with the inner sides of the front stop carrying portions 36 by, for example, bolt-andnut assemblies 42 at such elevations that the upper ends of those parallel arms provide forward stop or abutment means 43 on which the seat frame portions 17 engage when the body supporting means is in the sitting position. The cross brace 39 (Fig. 1) extends between the rear legs 29 intermediate the ends thereof and is secured to those; legs byjany suitable means. The cross brace 41 '(Figs. 1 and 4) is substantially U-shaped. The upper end portions of its parallel arms are bent or otherwise formed to extend outwardly in opposite directions from theparallel arms, respectively. That cross brace 41 connects the rear stop carrying portions 34 intermediate theirend, and the outwardly extending end portions provide rear stop or abutment means 44 on which the back frame portions 18 engage when the body supporting means is in the reclining position.

With the body supporting means A in the sitting position and the chair unoccupied as shown in Fig. 1, the distribution of the weight of the body supporting means relative to the pivot means 28 and 31 is such as yieldably to resist rearward rocking or swinging movement of the pivotally mounted body supporting means, and the engagement of the seat B on the forward stop means 43 prevents forward rocking or swinging movement of the body supporting means from its sitting position. When the chair is occupied while its body supporting means is in that sitting position as shown in full lines in-Fig. 2, and the occupant conforms his posture to the shape of the body supporting means and relaxes, the Weight of his body is so distributed relative to the pivot means 28 and 31 that rearward rocking or swinging is yieldably resisted, and forward rocking or swinging is prevented by engagement of the seat on the forward stop means 43. Thus a stable sitting position is provided for the body supporting means.

Where the connecting means extending between the front and rear leg means includes the resilient yieldable portions 33 and 37 and thus with the legs provide a resilient, yieldable support, the body supporting means A whether occupied or unoccupied is yieldably held in the sitting position with the seat B engaging on the front stop means 43 and the back D spaced forwardly from the rear stop means 44, thus assuring further stability in that position.

If while the body supporting means is in that sitting'position (see full lines of Fig; 2) and so occupied, the occupant desires to move to the reclining position (see broken lines of Fig. 2), he grasps the arm-rest portions 35 with his hands and pushes thereagainst. That force is transmitted through his arm and shoulders to the upper end of the back D. He thus applies a sufficient rearward force against the back to tilt himself and the body supporting means A from the sitting position rearwardly about the movable joints provided by the pivot means 28 and 31 and the swingable upper ends of the front and rear leg means F and G.. As he is thus swinging rearwardly, the upper ends of the leg means swing forwardly about their axes J and K, and he employs his grip on the arm-rest portions and his arms to control the speed of rearward tilting. He thus moves to the'reclining position where the back D engages the rear stop means,44 to stop further movement of the occupant and body'supporting means.

-Where the axes J and K for the swingable upper ends of. the leg means I? and .G. are provided by the disclosed resilient, yieldable support, the resilience thereof resists such rearward tilting of the body supporting means from its sitting to its reclining position and thus facilitates controlling the speed of such tilting by the occupant of the chair.

With the body supporting means in the reclining position and the chair occupied, the engagement of the back D against the rear stop means 44 prevents further rearward tilting, and the distribution of the occupants weight is such as yieldably to resist forward rocking or swinging movement of the pivotally mounted body supporting means. His weight is moreover so distributed as to prevent such forward swinging movement from the reclining position by only the resilience of the flexed, resilient, yieldable portions 33 and 37. Thus a stable reclining position is provided for the body supporting means.

If now the occupant wishes to return to the sitting position from that reclining position, he grasps the arm-rest portions 35 with his hands and pulls. That force is transmitted through his arms, torso, and upper legs to a portion of the seat B then upwardly and forwardly of the pivot means 28 and 31. He thus applies a suificient forward force against the seat to swing himself and the body supporting means from the reclining position forwardly about the movable joints provided by the pivot means 28 and 31 and the swingable upper ends of the front and rear leg means F and G. As he is thus swinging forwardly, the upper ends of the leg means F and G swing rearwardly about their axes J and K, and he employs his grip on the arm-rest portions and his arms to control the speed of the forward swinging movement, and thus returns to the stable sitting position, previously described.

Where the axis for the swingable upper ends of the leg means F and G are provided by the disclosed resilient, yieldable support, the resilience thereof facilitates, but alone is insuflicient to effect, such forward swinging movement of the body supporting means when occupied in the reclining position.

It will be seen from the foregoing disclosure that by providing front and rear leg means which are forwardly and rearwardly swingable about axes at or near their substantially fixed lower ends and pivotally attaching their thus swingable upper ends to a rear seat portion and a lower back portion, respectively, of body supporting means and by providing relatively rigid stop means engageable by the seat when the body supporting means is in the sitting position and by the back when that body supporting means is in the reclining position, the body supporting means is stable in each of those positions and is readily swingable by the occupant from each to the other of those positions, the front and rear stop means 43 and 44, as hereinabove described, constituting such relatively rigid stop means. Where such leg means are portions of a resilient yieldable support providing such axes at or near their lower ends, the resilience as already explained enhances the stability of the body supporting means in the sitting position, facilitates controlling the speed of rearward tilting of the body supporting means from its sitting position, and facilitates forward swinging of the body supporting means from its reclining position.

It is thought that the invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a chair, body supporting means having length substantially equal to that of an occupant and a shape like his contour when in a sitting posture and including leg-rest, seat, and back portions; supporting means including rear support portions pivotally attached at their upper ends to the back portion near the lower end and at opposite sides thereof and extending downwardly and rearwardly from their upper ends at the same inclination and for equal distances to a common plane below the level of the seat portion, forward support portions pivotally attached at their upper ends to said seat portion near the rear end and at opposite sides thereof and extending downwardly and forwardly from their upper ends at the same inclination and for equal distances and to said common plane, and a connecting portion extending between the forward and rear support portions at each side of said body supporting means and connected to said support portions near the lower ends thereof to fix them against substantial movement toward or away from each other, said forward and rear support portions providing mounting means for rockablv supporting said body supporting means on said supporting means, each said connecting portion extending upwardly from its connection with the corresponding rear support portion to above the level of said seat portion at one side and near the rear end thereof, thence forwardly above and at that side of said seat portion to provide an arm rest, and downwardly from the forward end thereof to the connection with the corresponding forward support portion; and forward and rear stop means on said supporting means and engageable by said seat portion and said back portion, respectively, the forward stop means, when engaged by said seat portion, providing a relatively upright sitting position for said body supporting means, and the rear stop means, when engaged by said back portion, providing a reclining position for said body supporting means.

2. In a chair with a unitary seat and back, supporting means comprising a pair of spaced, side frame members adjacent opposite sides of said unitary seat and back, each of said side frame members including forward and rear support portions pivotally attached at their upper ends to said seat near the rear end thereof and said back near the lower end thereof, respectively, and diverging downwardly from their upper ends to a common horizontal plane, whereby tiltably to mount said unitary seat and back on said supporting means, a rear connecting portion integral at one end with the lower end of the rear support portion and rearwardly thereof extending upwardly and forwardly to above the upper end of said rear support portion, an arm rest portion integral at one end with the upper end of said rear connecting portion and extending forwardly therefrom above the upper ends of said forward and rear support portions, and a forward connecting portion integral at its opposite ends with and extending between the forward end of said arm rest portion and the lower end of the forward support portion; forward stop means carried by said forward connecting portion and engageable by said seat to provide a relatively upright sitting position for the tiltably mounted, unitary seat and back; and rear stop means carried by said rear connecting portion and engageable by said back to provide a reclining position for said tiltably mounted, unitary seat and back.

3. In a chair with a unitary seat and back, supporting means according to claim 2 wherein said forward and rear support portions are resilient and yieldably resist tilting of said unitary seat and back from said sitting position toward said reclining position.

4. In a chair with a unitary seat and back, supporting means according to claim 2 wherein, when said unitary seat and back are in said sitting position, said rear support portion and said forward connecting portion are at substantially right angles to said back and seat, respectively, and when said unitary seat and back are in said reclining position, said forward support portion is at substantially right angles to said seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,988,788 Goodman Jan. 22, 1935 2,027,125 Stoll Jan. 7, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 658,929 Great Britain July 19, 1949 

